This past Saturday’s Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal failed to generate much interest around the MMA community, and, after seeing the attendance figures, it seems most fans in the San Diego felt the same way. According to official numbers from the CSAC the only card drew 2,995 people for $154,075 in gate. The number is one of the organization’s lowest to date and on par with a pre-Vegas Strikeforce Challengers show rather than a major card featuring two title-fights/

As far as salaries go, Gilbert Melendez, earned $150,000 for successfully defending his Strikeforce lightweight title against Jorge Masvidal, as did Gegard Mousasi who stopped Ovince St. Preux in their main card match-up. Masvidal, in his first big-time main event, was awarded $23,000.

Cris “Cyborg” Santos, who knocked out Hiroko Yamanaka in just sixteen seconds, earned $66,000 including a $33,000 win bonus.

$154,075 gate
$ 580,000 payroll (& that’s the disclosed payroll there could be other pay/ bonuses not made public )

wow… I guess IF Showtime covers the production and some ad $ from Big sponsors this all some how stays in the black?!? Guess that’s a big IF… I’m sure there’s a lot more factors but it def. seems a big task to turn a profit…

3,000 people in a 16,000 seat capacity arena (for MMA). Partly explains why the event, as televised, didn’t have a lick of oomph. Have to believe that interest in SF events will improve over the next few months with support from Zuffa and Showtime.